The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-12
IMPORTANT CHAPTER OF HISTORY.

|
IMPORTANT CHAPTER OF HISTORY.
How General Grant Was Persuaded to Ac-
cept Nomination for the Presidency.
A. "a. MARYLAND, in New York sun.
That is an important fact which you have
lately published, that correspondence took
place early in 1884 between Mr.. Blaine and Gen.
w. l. Sherman concerning the proposed candi-
dacy OF the latter for the presidency. and it
calls circumstances which occurred years before.
| AS early as the fall Of 1867 General Grant sug
gested the name of General Sherman can
dldate for the presidency in 1868, rather than
have his own name used. General Grant was
averse to being nominated for the presidency.
| lie really did not want the nomination from
| either OF the then existing parties
Was In a position to know his views on the
subject, and the time, place and circumstances,
and his manner of giving them. were sufficient
to impress me that he was N earnest in desiring
that the nominaton should go to some other
person. He valued his commission as general
of the army He felt that he could be of more
value to the country general, with good
man as President, than he eonld be as President
himself. He was not a party man, but his In
cllnations were rather with the Democrats. He
only wanted Union Democrat in the presiden-
tlal chair, and himself to remain general of
| the army. He thought that quiet and good or
der in the country could thus be better secured
than by a strictly old-time partisan of either
| party being elected President.
He was approached by prominent representa-
tlves OF both parties and, to my knowledge.
overtures from both were made to him. OF
course, these representatives of the two parties
were Union men, and men who had been Union
men when that was question during the war.
On one occasion l was present at General
Grants residence on street, when the subject
| of his nomination by the Democratic party was
discussed with him by representative members
of that party / went there with them General
Grant stated to them that he did not desire the
nomination from either party, and he gave,
among other reasons, the one I have just men
toned, following it up with good arguments
and saying very decidedly: "Why don't you
take Sherlnan9 He is better fitted for that kind
| of business than / am" At the same time he
thought he had clinched the suggestion by
adding that Sherman had a more statesman
like view of the secession and the rebellion than
anv of u.s.
The talk more than ever satisfied his hearers
that he was the man for the nomination. One
of the members Of the company who had been
present at the interview, was SO impressed with
General Grants frankness that he Immediately
visited New York to consult with leading Demo
Gratis OF that State In reference to a movement
| looking to the nomination of General Grant by
the Democracy. His mission was apparently
successful. l have his letter, written at the
time now before me, in which he says: 1.-THE
| program me'-that Is, the nomins ton Of General
| Grant bv the Democrats-''is the very thing"
He then tells what leaders Of the Democratic
| party have been consulted. and that one who was
| the acknowledged chief of the party, said: Il
| can nominate General Grant for the presidency
| in State convention in this State to-day"
There was a little fear that unless a very con-
| siderable number of Union soldiers united with
| the Democrats. the Republicans would nominate
| Sheridan and beat General Grant The soldiers
and sailors convention was held at Cleveland,
| o.. in 1867, really in the interest of General
| Grant, by the Union Democracy. General Grant
| gave it countenance. and his best friends were
| identified with it. It was thought the meeting
| would be counter-irritant to the views of what
| known e CopDerhaad DamOcPacV. I'm
many another well-intended thing. it got astray.
| Because some of Andrew Johnson's friends were
| IN it, it was suspected as being coppsrhead at
| fair itself
| At one time, shortly prior to the meeting of
| the nominating conventions, it was still thought
/ by some that General Grant would be nominated
| by the Democrats. One of the most prominent
| and Influential members of the party came to
| Washington and had an interview with General
Rawlins in reference to the manner in which the
| name of General Grant should be brought before
the Democratic convention. In his earnestness
about the matter Rawlins's visitor said: eve
| out all the war legislation. Thus the Democrat
| ic party will restore the Union"
That settled the question in the mind of
General Rawlins that General Grant ought not
to be nominated by the Democrats and that Il
| was Grants duty to accept the nomination oil
| the Republicans. He so told General Grant, and
| from that time General Grant was in the hands
Of his friends or, in other words, he was willing
| to accept the Republican nomination.
| l am inclined to think, from what know OF
| General Grants views, at the time and after
| that if that speech had not been made to Raw
Inns General Grant would in good faith have de
| clined the nomination of either party. know
| that he suggested the name of William T. Sher
man for the nomination, and I doubt not tina,
| many a time in the first years OF
Grants incumbency OF the Office
been nominated and elected. And it may bs
that many who had promoted tho candidacy Of
! General Grant wished the same thing Genera
Rawlins prepared paper for publication, writ
ten in his wellknown hand, in which he warned
the people against the Democratic party EN-
ploying almost the identical language used BY
! the Democratic leader in the interview above
referred to- For good reasons it was not print
ed. have that paper now
Very many who had a knowledge of these
facts are dead OF the few still living not more
than half-dozen in public life l merely
want to emphasize the fact that General Gran
was originally averse to accepting a nomination
from any party, and that as early as 1868 b,
proposed the name of Gen ". T. Sherman az
suitable candidate.
just as Well.